


A Place to Call Home

by xAmalie



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Elemental Magic, Established Relationship, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Family Fluff, Gentle Kissing, Holidays, Late Night Conversations, M/M, One Big Happy Family, Savanaclaw Dormitory, Slice of Life, set during episode 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24180847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xAmalie/pseuds/xAmalie
Summary: Guided by Leona's hand, Ruggie knelt on the edge of the couch and straddled him. He closed his eyes when the other's fingertips ghosted over his cheek, but he slowly opened them again when Leona whispered, this time in a dangerous and sensual way,stay here. Mesmerized by that voice, Ruggie leaned down. He paused when their lips barely touched. They drowned into each other's eyes, fingers running lightly over their eager bodies, as if they were finally realizing how long it had been since they'd last been together like that.
Relationships: Leona Kingscholar/Ruggie Bucchi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 316





	1. Chapter 1

Ruggie took a deep breath and sneezed the moment his homeland's familiar arid air tickled his nose. Hearing people shouting from one window to another made his ears stick up instinctively, while his eyes darted to the crowded market's stalls. He barely dodged two children who almost crashed into him, too busy playing to pay attention to their surroundings.

He smiled, then laughed heartily.

Adjusting the many bags on his shoulders, Ruggie carefully avoided the crowd and walked into the labyrinth of alleys his neighbourhood had always been famous for. He knew every corner of that place by heart.

"It's so good to be back!" His voice echoed between the many buildings.

Ruggie didn't care that it was one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the whole Afterglow Savannah. He didn't judge the people begging for some food along the streets, and not once he had ever snitched on a child stealing something from a shop. Everyone had their own way to survive, it was their reality, there was no reason to pretend everything was okay. In the past, he too had done many regrettable things. For better or worse, that was his home.

Ruggie stopped in front of a building that, judging from the outside, surely had seen better days. The corroded walls seemed ready to collapse at any moment, only held up by the vines that grew along them up to the roof. He peeked in the closest window, then dropped one of his bags to knock on the door. When it swung open, the biggest smile appeared on his lips. Likewise, his grandmother's expression softened and her eyes watered a bit as she cupped her grandson's face and kissed him on the cheek.

"Ruggie! You told me you were going to arrive for dinner!"  
"I wanted to surprise you!" He grinned, squeezing his grandmother's hand.  
"Oh my! Look at you, every time you come home you look bigger!"  
"Grandma, could it be that you're the one shrinking?" Ruggie laughed when the old woman pinched his cheek. "Sorry, sorry! I'm joking!!"  
She sighed and straightened Ruggie's uniform, "Don't they teach you how to behave in that fancy school?"

His grandmother noticed the bags in that moment. Well aware of what they contained, since it wasn't the first time Ruggie had taken food from his school’s cafeteria, she bent down to pick up the one on the ground. Ruggie immediately grabbed her by the shoulders, instead encouraging her to go back inside.

"Don't even think about it." He said decidedly as he took the bag and got into the house.  
"But-"  
He closed the door behind himself, "I'll take care of everything, okay? You know that I don't like when you push yourself too hard."  
"As if I didn't do everything by myself when you're not here." She replied in a low voice.

Ruggie glanced at the old woman and smiled when he saw her sit on the couch with a sigh. He set all the bags on the floor and started putting the food away, enjoying the familiar and nostalgic scent of spices the moment he opened the cupboard above the kitchen stove.

Unlike the outside of the building, the two rooms of the house were perfectly tidy and clean. The one they were in, which served as a dining room, kitchen and Ruggie's bedroom, had very few furniture. There were even less in his grandmother's bedroom and in the little bathroom. On the other hand, that house certainly contained plenty of good memories of the two of them together. Ruggie really loved that place, although he still hadn't given up on his desire to give his grandma a better life.

"So, tell me. How's school going?" She placed a blanket on her legs. Afterglow Savannah was always sunny and dry, even during winter, but the old woman was so fond of that blanket – Ruggie's baby blanket, to be exact – that she didn't want to put it away. "Did you have any problems? You’re not skipping any classes, are you?"

Lucky for him, she couldn't see the nervous smile that curled his lips as soon as Leona and Azul's overblot incidents came to his mind.

"No problem at all." Ruggie arranged the food in both the fridge and the cupboard, then he took off his jacket and placed it on a nearby chair. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and unbuttoned the vest. He then grinned, whispering to himself, "I might not be a model student, but at least I don't go signing contracts to pass the exams."

It didn’t take long before the clanking of pots and pans filled the room. In no time, the smell of spices mixed with the sweeter one of the cake baking in the oven. The soup that was boiling over a low heat had such an intense aroma of meat and fresh vegetables that it made Ruggie's stomach growl. Leaning against the back of the couch with her eyes closed, his grandmother hummed a cheerful tune with a smile on her lips.

Ruggie couldn't help but sigh. He hadn't realized how much he needed a break from his everyday life until he had set foot in that house. He was sure he would soon come to miss his routine, especially the time spent with Leona, but for the moment he had no intention of thinking about it.

Someone knocked on the door. The old woman didn't move, but her smile grew bigger.

Ruggie wiped his hands on the dish rag and headed for the entrance, but he didn't open the door. Instead, he leaned against it and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Who could it be?" He asked aloud.  
"Ruggie..." His grandma chuckled when he put up his finger to his lips, stifling a laugh himself when he heard a soft whispering of _sssh_ and _he will hear you_.

A second knock came.

"Come on, they were looking forward to seeing you again, don't make them wait."  
Ruggie shrugged, "Okay, okay... but you're no fun."

As soon as Ruggie opened the door, five kids from six to eleven years old surrounded him and started yelling excitedly. They welcomed him back, overwhelming him with questions and telling him that they knew he’d arrived from the smell of cooking that had filled the alley. Two of them hugged him and Ruggie picked up the youngest child in his arms.

"What are you making!?" She asked, tightening her grip around Ruggie's neck with no intention of letting him go.  
"A lot of things! We'll throw a huge party!" He let the children enter the house so he could go back to keep an eye on the kitchen.

The girl leaned over the pot to see its content, while the other girl of the group went to sit next to Ruggie's grandmother on the couch. The old woman didn't think twice before putting an arm around her shoulders to bring her closer.

Soon the noise of cooking was joined by the children’s laughter and Ruggie’s stories about Night Raven College. Ruggie never took a break, too eager to please his grandma and their little guests, which were already filling their bellies with the excuse of taste-testing the food. He didn't want to do anything more than sharing his luck with all the people he loved.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait so... fastest update ever!

"Okay, okay. Out of the way! And watch yourselves!"

Ruggie took a step back and licked his lips, cracking his neck. He grabbed his magic pen as the children sat cross-legged on the ground.

It had already been a week since the winter holidays had begun and Ruggie still couldn't believe how easy it was to make those brats smile. He could cast the simplest magic he knew and it would still surprise them. Their innocence was the main reason he never complained about spending his days with them.

The neighbourhood seemed to have become livelier since he came back. The children had plenty of food to eat, and so did their parents. Ruggie always gave their leftovers to whoever needed them the most. Every night, after dinner, people gathered in the main town square to have fun, singing and dancing to their hearts’ content. And every single time, Ruggie helped them with whatever they needed. For once, it actually felt like a real holiday.

Ruggie twirled the pen between his fingers before pointing it towards the sky. The air was charged briefly with electricity. The temperature dropped. Small ice crystals formed around him and piled up until a bigger crystal started floating above his head, before breaking into innumerable fragments with a loud noise. The stunning display of colourful lights caused by the sunlight reflecting on the crystals left the little ones speechless.

A chorus of amazed shouts had the adults turn towards them. Some of them even stopped to see what weird spectacle Ruggie was coming up with that day.

Without missing a beat, the temperature rose and flames flew up to the sky. The children closest to him took a few steps back. Ruggie noticed it and grinned, deciding to throw a little fireball in their direction to scare them, but making the fire go out before it could even reach them. They indeed ran away, letting out startled laughs.

Yes, he really loved their carefree attitude.

"Is it true they’re teaching you how to speak with animals!?" A boy asked him at some point, when Ruggie took a moment to relax.  
"Yes, and it's one of the most difficult classes." Ruggie pushed his chest out proudly, "But I must say, it's the one where I shine the most!"  
"I want to see it!!" The girl didn't even wait for an answer and stood up, looking around for an animal. Many others did the same, and after a minute it became a full-fledged treasure hunt.

Ruggie wiped the sweat from his brow with the edge of his t-shirt, enjoying the breeze caressing his bare skin. The scorching midday sun was unbearable, even during the winter. He would have done anything to jump into the snow that he knew Night Raven College was being covered by during those months.

Since the children were busy with their hunting, Ruggie sat down in the shade of a building. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. A few people greeted him when they walked past him. An old man who was returning home from the market asked him if he was hungry. Ruggie gladly accepted the apple he offered him.

"Let's see..."

Ruggie grabbed his phone and started scrolling through Magicam. He liked some pictures, almost choking on the apple he was eating when he saw one of Ace wearing a fake beard. After Cater's sixth consecutive post, he decided to mute his updates. He really thought that that guy needed to learn how to live without his phone.

As he had thought, nostalgia hadn't taken long to pay him a visit. He woke up every morning feeling somehow empty, weirded out by the fact that he wouldn’t have to waste his time convincing Leona to wake up. He missed spending time together with him in the botanical garden, waiting for their afternoon classes to start. That had always been his routine.

Ruggie didn't realize he was writing Leona a message – asking him how he was doing – until his thumb had pressed the send button. He closed his eyes again and sighed in relief, enjoying the calm and peace. He was feeling so drowsy that for a moment he even thought he’d heard a very familiar ringtone coming from the crowd of people.

"RUGGIE! WE FOUND IT!" The children shouted as they ran towards him, one of them holding in his arms a huge tabby cat that didn't seem happy to be there.

Ruggie grinned and stood up, ready to entertain them once more.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

"And you caught all the mice?" The little girl who visited him the first day asked, tightening her arms around Ruggie's neck when he adjusted her better on his back. "Did the cat help you?"  
"Not until I promised him his reward!" He sighed, loud and noticeably theatrical.

The girl laughed, and so did Ruggie.

Soft shades of pastel colours illuminated the sky. The pinks and oranges of the sunset were welcoming the night, cooling the air of that sultry day.

"Magic is beautiful..." The girl closed her eyes. "I want to be like you when I grow up."

Ruggie looked at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled. He didn't take his pen from his pants' pocket to avoid losing his grip and making her fall, but he still let himself go to the familiar feeling of the magic flowing into his body.

A slight breeze made the child open her eyes. When the wind began spinning softly around her, she gasped, but her scared look didn't match her tail, which was wagging frantically out of curiosity for what was about to happen. The breeze caressed her cheek, and in a moment the girl found herself being lifted up in the air. She yelled, but as soon as she realized she had nothing to be afraid of, her lips parted in the biggest smile Ruggie had ever seen on her face.

"You won't be like me." Ruggie waited for the breeze to set the girl down before kneeling to her height. He patted her head. "You'll be better, because you really love magic."  
"You love it too." With her hands joined behind her back and a delighted smile still lighting her face, the child took a few steps back. "You really look happy when you do it. See you tomorrow!"

Taken aback by her words, Ruggie waved at her in silence, watching her disappear into the crowd.  
Was he happy while using magic? He never thought about it before.

"What a day..." Ruggie collapsed on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. He was certain he would fall asleep as soon as he touched the couch after using so much magic that day. He felt totally exhausted. At that rate, he would have been the one risking to overblot.

"A brat amongst other brats. This really is your natural habitat."

Ruggie's eyes widened. Was his mind playing tricks on him because of the fatigue?

A shadow towered over him and Ruggie looked up. The man behind him leaned forward to look at him straight in his eyes. Despite the hood obscuring his features, Ruggie instantly recognized the emerald eyes that were smugly looking at him.

Ruggie's cheeks reddened, his lips trembled.

"L-LEONA!?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leona time~

Crouched in a corner of the kitchen with a freshly washed plate in one hand and a dish rag in the other, Ruggie narrowed his eyes and glared at the two people on the couch who were talking and laughing as if he wasn't even there.

If someone had told him that one day he would see Leona smile and chat lively with someone like that, he would have laughed in their face. Seeing Leona selflessly help someone was something he would have never thought possible, let alone imagining him hold the door for them. Ruggie knew Leona had great respect for women, but he certainly didn't think he respected them _that much_. 

"Your friend is so polite and kind, Ruggie. Why don't you try learning some good manners from him?" His grandma sighed and leaned down to blow on her brimming cup of hot tea. Ruggie's expression turned baffled when he met Leona's eyes and saw him flash him a grin, but the Prefect of Savanaclaw was quick to hide it before the old woman could notice.

Ruggie bit his lower lip to refrain from saying something he would regret later. He certainly couldn't tell her that Leona's politeness had nothing to do with their school.

"Aren't you the one always bragging about me with the neighbours? What's with this change of mind!?"  
The old woman shrugged and turned towards their guest, "I never had someone else to compare you to, I guess."

While Ruggie stared slack-jawed at them, Leona tried to hold back a laugh. His body trembled for the effort, to the point the woman laughed too. Ruggie didn't talk back only because he forced himself to look down and away, trying to hide his red face. It was the first time he saw Leona like that.

They still had to talk about the purpose of his visit, but Ruggie knew something must have happened. It wasn't like him to show up at his door out of the blue. Leona hated children, he hated being surrounded by people, but he really, really loved doing nothing and sleeping, and there was no better place than the palace of Afterglow Savannah for that. For him, to run away from there...

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me about him."

Ruggie stood up and put the last plate in the cupboard. He wiped his hands and turned towards them, leaning on the kitchen counter. He crossed his legs at the ankles and put his hands in his pockets. The situation was taking a strange turn and he didn't even know how to avoid it.

"I didn't hide it, I always talk to you about Leo- my friends. About my friends." He corrected himself quickly.  
"Then how come you never invited him over?"  
"Eeeeh~" Ruggie smiled nervously. "Who knows why I never did that."  
Leona leaned forward and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, looking at Ruggie in his usual irritating way. "Yeah, who knows. I'm kind of hurt that you never told your grandmother about me."  
"I'm kind of hurt that you're an asshole..." Ruggie mumbled to himself, so softly that neither of the other two heard his comment.  
Leona grinned, “Did you say something?”  
“Nothing at all~”

Ruggie's grandma calmly finished drinking her tea, but never once her eyes turned away from the two boys. She watched them as they bickered and laughed, saw Ruggie glance at the other and look away when his friend smiled at him, as if embarrassed by his gesture. She suppressed a smile.

"Time for me to go to bed, it's getting late." The old woman put the cup down on the small coffee table near the couch and was about to stand up when Leona stood up as well. This time, her smile shone on her face. "Look at you... Such a charming man." She gladly accepted the extended hand.

Ruggie told her to let him know if she needed something and that they would keep their voices low to avoid waking her up, but his grandmother scolded him. She told them not to mind her and to have fun, since it was their winter break. She then turned towards Leona, apologizing for not being able to offer him more. In response, he smiled and wished her a good night.

When the bedroom's door closed behind her and Leona looked back at Ruggie, they boy was glaring at him with scepticism and disbelief.

“What?” Leona yawned.  
"Your kindness towards women is almost annoying." Ruggie hissed, taking the cup from the coffee table.  
Leona grinned and laid on the couch, crossing his arms behind his head, "Are you jealous because I don't treat you the same way?"  
"Please, the mere thought makes me shiver."

Ruggie washed the cup in silence and put it away in the cupboard with the rest of the dishes. His expression softened when he turned around and saw Leona with closed eyes and slightly parted lips. With the casual clothes he was wearing and his hair up in a messy ponytail, Leona seemed completely at ease.

Ruggie approached Leona and crouched in front of him, leaning on the couch. Feeling observed, Leona slowly opened his eyes and looked back at him. With a thoughtful frown, Ruggie rested his chin on his palm and waited a few seconds before finally asking the question he'd been dying to ask.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing here?"  
Leona shrugged, "I was getting bored at home."  
"I can only imagine the boredom of a prince surrounded by luxury." Ruggie whispered in a sarcastic tone, to be sure his grandmother couldn't hear them.

Ruggie couldn't tell if having Leona in his house worried him or made him happy. Maybe both. But there, at least, he was safe. Leona probably hadn't even thought about the uproar that could occur if someone recognized him. He was the second-born prince, damn it. Sure, he knew how to defend himself, which was exactly why Ruggie wanted to avoid a fight between him and the people he'd known since he was little. If that happened, he wouldn't know which side to take.

Leona turned on his side and rested an elbow on the couch, so that he could support his head with his hand. For a moment they stared at each other, then he reached out and carded his fingers through Ruggie's hair to pull him closer. Ruggie didn't oppose him when Leona kissed him. Rather, he knelt on the floor and leaned towards him. Their kiss began soft, slowly heating up.

Ruggie almost decided that their talk could wait when, peeking between his lashes, he noticed the dark circles under Leona's eyes. He broke away from the kiss and stood up.

"I better go find somewhere to sleep."  
"What are you talking about?" Leona's guttural snarl made Ruggie  smile.  
"I don't know if you noticed, but this house is a bit cramped for three people. I can ask a friend to let me sleep on their couch, so you can rest here."  
"Are you stupid? This is your house."

Ruggie shrugged. He was ready to say that it didn't matter, but the words died in his throat the moment Leona grabbed his wrist in a weirdly gentle way.

"Come here."  
This time, Ruggie let out a laugh, "Seriously? How can we sleep here?", but his question didn't receive an answer.

The whole neighbourhood seemed plunged into silence. The only noise that filled the room was the one of water drops leaking from the tap of the kitchen sink.

Guided by Leona's hand, Ruggie knelt on the edge of the couch and straddled him. He closed his eyes when the other's fingertips ghosted over his cheek, but he slowly opened them again when Leona whispered, in a dangerous and sensual way,  _stay here_ . Mesmerized by that voice, Ruggie leaned down, but he paused when their lips barely touched. They drowned into each other's eyes, fingers running lightly over their eager bodies, as if they were finally realizing how long it had been since  they'd last been together like that.

It was in that moment that they closed the distance between their lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the hits and kudos ;; I love you


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah I wanted to write this ch since I came up with this story c:

Ruggie slowly opened his eyes and looked around at the small room engulfed in darkness. The faint light of the street lamps coming through the window was the only source of light in the house. Other than that, the world seemed to be frozen in time. It was certain he had awoken long before dawn.

Afraid of waking up the man sleeping behind him, Ruggie just sighed. He didn't know how Leona could sleep peacefully like that. It was so hot that his body was covered in sweat, his shirt sticking to both his chest and back.

Ruggie ran with his fingertips along the arm that was looped around his waist, lulled by Leona's soft breathing purring right into his ear. Trying to move as little as possible, he reached out to grab the water bottle on the floor. His dry throat immediately thanked him when he took a sip. He pushed his hair back before snuggling up against Leona's body, smiling happily even though he was actually craving some fresh air.

The couch creaked when Leona shifted a bit behind him. His lips brushed against Ruggie's neck, his hand sliding on his hip.

Ruggie was greeted by deep emerald eyes staring sleepily at him when he looked at Leona out of the corner of his eye.

"Did I wake you?" He whispered.  
"Yes." Leona buried his face in Ruggie's hair, mumbling. "Why is it so hot?"  
The corner of Ruggie's lips tilted upwards. "I told you you’d regret sleeping here."  
"Shut up... I want to sleep..."

Leona wrapped his arms again around Ruggie's body and held him close, burying his face in the crook of his neck. Ruggie instinctively bowed his head when the Prefect of Savanaclaw caressed his skin with his tongue, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. Everything felt so normal, so ordinary, as if they were still at school... if it wasn’t for the fact that nothing that was happening was normal.

"Leona?" Ruggie decided to risk speaking up, eliciting an annoyed growl. "Seriously. Why are you here?"  
Leona sighed heavily, "Why do you keep asking? Why do you care?"

Ruggie finally decided to turn around and face him.

"Sorry if I want to know why you appeared in front of my house out of nowhere." He propped up his head with an arm, unconsciously playing with one of Leona's braids. "I'm pretty sure you really were just feeling bored at home, but I know there's something more."  
"Then why don't you wait tomorrow morning to ask me something so irrelevant and just let me sleep now?"  
Ruggie narrowed his eyes, "We both know nothing would change tomorrow morning."

Leona frowned and took a deep breath. A guttural growl escaped his lips as he sat up on the couch and cracked his neck, yawning. For a moment he stayed still, his eyes closed, as if he was pondering his response, then he slowly looked down at Ruggie.

"Do I need a reason to pay you a visit during winter break?"  
Ruggie grinned, "Try again, your princely charm doesn't work on me."  
"How annoying..." Leona clicked his tongue and ran a hand through his hair. "I could no longer stand my family. Are you satisfied now? I needed a break."

Ruggie laid on his back, crossed his arms behind his head and stretched his legs over Leona's. The Prefect didn't say anything nor seemed bothered by that.

"What did they do?"  
Leona shrugged, "They're obnoxious, like always. My brother still thinks he can make things right between us. I keep telling him that I don't care about the past anymore, but he's an idiot. A goofy, brainless, idiot."

Ruggie didn't even try to hold back his laugh.

"It’s been months since you last went home, they just missed you."  
"That’s why I didn't want to go back for winter break." Leona pressed his fingers between his eyebrows.  
Ruggie smiled mischievously, "How's Cheka?"  
The frown on Leona's face didn't falter, but his shoulders relaxed. "Annoying as always."  
"He must be thrilled to have his _ojitan_ all to himself..." Ruggie smothered his laughter to avoid waking up his grandmother when Leona shot him an angry glare.

Seriously though, Ruggie couldn't believe that was actually the reason behind Leona's behaviour. He didn't know if the lack of sleep was playing tricks on his mind, but- did Leona implicitly admit that he liked being with him? That he enjoyed his company?

...to think he always complained about how he couldn't stand him and his constant chatter...

"I like your grandmother."

Ruggie brought his attention back on Leona.

"Don't mention it, I couldn't believe it was really happening. It's been strange..."  
Leona scowled, "What?"  
"Well, it's not something I would have expected to see! And, by the way, sorry if my grandma bothered you during dinner. She can be a bit... chatty."  
"Yeah, I wondered who you got it from." Leona shot him a smile when he saw Ruggie frowning, "She's a great woman. She had to be, since she’s had to deal with you for years."

This time, Ruggie didn't take any offense. Instead, he laughed to his heart's content and smiled brightly. He didn't even try to hide his embarrassment.

"Yeah, she's the best."

With his eyes fixed on that smile, Leona knelt on the couch and hovered above him. He grasped Ruggie's chin between his fingers to make him look up and meet his eyes, then he leaned down to kiss him. His tongue brushed against Ruggie's bottom lip, as if he was silently asking him to open his mouth. Ruggie did it more than willingly.

Leona cupped his cheek before running his fingers lightly over Ruggie's neck, teasing him with his tail as it slid under his t-shirt and ghosted over his bare skin.

"Leona... my grandmother... she could hear us." Ruggie gasped between those kisses, a trickle of saliva running down his chin.  
Leona licked it away and grinned against his lips, "Then keep your voice down."  
"I'm all sweaty." Ruggie tightened his grip on Leona's shoulder when he kissed him again. "And you said you were sleepy."

Leona's grin showed his fangs in a predatory way.

"Not anymore."


	5. Chapter 5

"How long will you keep sulking? It's getting annoying." Leona yawned as he looked at the various market stalls. He clicked his tongue when the hood of his cloak fell over his eyes again. "I still don't understand how you didn't realize it before."

Ruggie massaged his temples to ease the throbbing headache. "Are you serious?" He absent-mindedly returned the greeting of two women who passed by them before deciding to lower his voice, to avoid being heard. "How could I know that my grandma already knew who you were? I feel like an idiot now."

“You _are_ an idiot.”

Ruggie didn't give in to Leona's provocations. He was too busy thinking about how much he'd embarrassed himself in front of his grandmother to actually pay attention to him.

Unlike what Leona thought, Ruggie didn't mind that his grandma knew his grandson had befriended the second-born Prince of Afterglow Savannah. He didn't even care that she had joked and laughed with him, well knowing who he was. Indeed, she’d always had the guts to do something like that. What really bothered Ruggie was that he came to know about it by accident. As if it wasn't important. As if he hadn't tried hiding Leona's identity for hours the day before.

_Would you pay my respects to your brother and his wife?_ she had asked with a dazzling smile before he and Leona could leave the house that morning. Leona hadn't even faltered when he’d replied that he would gladly do so.

Just thinking about it again made Ruggie's headache worsen. He wanted to go back to when he had just opened his eyes, when his only problem had been to figure out if his grandmother had heard them that night.

"Prince Leona?"

Ruggie’s breath caught in his throat. He turned abruptly towards Leona, only then noticing the old woman that was standing before him.

_Fuck._ He seriously was an idiot. He had been so focused on his own problems that he hadn't thought about their whereabouts. He should have paid attention instead of daydreaming, he couldn't believe he forgot that they were walking around in broad daylight in the middle of the market and that anyone could have recognized Leona.

Ruggie was about to grab Leona by his wrist and drag him away when the woman took his hand in hers and smiled at him.

"Such a handsome man you've become..." Reverence shone in her eyes. “I wish you and your family the best.”

Others turned towards them, and before Leona could say or do anything, he got surrounded by the crowd. Aware that his hood was no longer needed, he took it off and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed, answered the various questions about the well-being of his family, especially of the little heir to the throne, and not once he was rude to the people who were smiling and paying him their respects.

A young girl squeezed Ruggie's hand to get his attention.

"Is he your friend?" She frowned, probably not understanding what that ruckus was about. "Why is everyone so happy to see him?"

_I don't know_ , Ruggie wanted to say. Instead, he smiled. He couldn't believe his eyes. “Because... they love him and he doesn't even realize it.”

He had assumed that the people in his neighbourhood hated Leona, because... well, because he was royalty. He had been hiding their friendship for that reason, unsure of how his friends would have reacted if they’d known. Had he really been naive? No... he still remembered that, when he was just a boy, the adults used to talk trash about Leona's family all the time. What had changed?

"Hey." Snapping out of his trance, Ruggie didn't even realize when Leona put an arm around his shoulders and started walking away fast, dragging him along. "Let's get out of here before we’re stopped by other nuisances."

¯¯¯¯

Lying on the grass with his arms crossed behind his head, Leona growled when Cheka jumped astride his chest. The tree they were under offered them little protection and sweat drenched their clothes, but it was still better than lying directly under the scorching sun.

Leona sat up and grabbed the kid by his shirt, glaring at him when Cheka grinned and stuck his tongue out. Ruggie couldn't suppress his laughter when the second-born Prince softly pushed him away, making the little one roll on the grass.

As Ruggie absently glanced down at the grass tickling his bare feet, he realized how much the wealthiest area of the Kingdom really seemed to be in a whole different world. It was late afternoon, the time of the day when people usually crowded the streets before going back home to have dinner, and yet the place was deserted.

It had been ages since he’d felt so relaxed.

"I'll be right back, I need to ask something to mama!" Cheka ran towards the guards whose job was to watch over the young heir to the throne. He didn't even give them a glance when he passed them, so they had to hastily follow him as to not lose sight of him.

Ruggie didn't know if he should have laughed since it felt like watching a mini-Leona or if he should have been terrified by the idea that that mini-Leona would be his King one day.

"You know..." He sighed when he found himself staring at the sumptuous gates. "Today, when that woman recognized you, I almost had a heart attack."

Leona, who in the meantime had laid back down on the grass with his eyes closed, murmured something inaudible with his mouth shut, as if to signal that he was listening.

"When I was a kid, I often heard the adults complaining about your family, for not receiving help. Seeing them today... I don't know, I was surprised. I seriously thought something bad was going to happen if they'd seen you."  
"Most of those people have known me since I was born. Although I stopped attending the royal ceremonies a long time ago, it was obvious someone was eventually going to recognize me." Leona yawned and crossed his legs.  
"Well, you didn't help. You kept taking off your hood and revealing your face!"

Leona sighed and opened his eyes to meet Ruggie's.

"I kept it on because you didn't give me a choice in the matter. There are fewer people who hate my family now." His calm voice hid any emotion. "My father was far from perfect, but my brother's doing his best to be a good King. Many changed their mind."  
Ruggie frowned, "Well... Now that you make me think about it, it's true that I haven't heard any complaints lately."  
“Not that I care about what those people think. I don't even consider this place my home anymore, they can say whatever they want.”

Ruggie propped a hand on the grass and leaned forward to look at Leona straight in the eye. His hair outlined his cheeks when a grin flashed on his lips.

"So... what? Is Night Raven College your home now?"  
Leona shrugged, "More than this place is, for sure."

Ruggie stood up and stretched, smiling when the grass tickled his feet for the second time. It was getting late and his home was quite far from the Palace. He couldn't be late for dinner, since he had promised the children to prepare something special for them.

"Then..." Ruggie put his hands into his pockets. "When we get back to school, I want you to answer my _Welcome Back!_ with a happy _I'm Home_!"  
Leona snorted, "I'll die before doing something like that."  
Ruggie grinned.

"We'll see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left, the last one will be the icing on the cake~  
> I almost put some angst in this chapter, but I managed to restrain myself somehow.  
> ONLY FLUFF AND HAPPINESS FOR ONCE.


	6. Chapter 6

Leona didn't go see Ruggie for the rest of the winter break, but took advantage of his free time to start messaging him on Magicam, venting on a daily basis. Thanks to that, Ruggie knew that Leona hadn't killed anyone during those days, but he wasn't quite sure that was something he should have been happy about. Leona did tell him he would do something to his brother before coming back to school if he'd kept bothering him about strengthening their brotherly bond.

Apart from chatting with Leona, Ruggie's days passed in the blink of an eye, and more quietly than he had expected. Saying goodbye to the children the morning of his departure had probably been the only sore point. Telling them he would come back as soon as possible didn't stop the youngest ones from crying, nor made the others smile.

He really felt sorry, but he certainly couldn't stay there... although he had almost reconsidered it the moment he had taken a step in the Mirror Chamber.

¯¯¯¯¯¯

"I want to go back home... What was I thinking when I said I missed this place?" Ruggie leaned on the cafeteria's table and rested his head on his crossed arms, sighing.

The cafeteria was crowded with students. Many were just chatting about how they had spent their break time, while others were simply enjoying their lunch. For once, they didn't have to eat in a hurry, since there were no classes to attend.

Jack took a spoonful of his pear cake, studying Ruggie.

"Why don't you tell Professor Trein to ask for someone else's help?"  
Ruggie slowly looked up at his dorm-mate, who was sitting across from him. "Because, if I help him, he will turn a blind eye when I won't study."  
"Then you should just study, so you won't have to help him."

Ruggie didn't even bother asking him if he was serious, since he already knew the answer to his question. Once again he sighed deeply, stretching his arms forward.

"Why study when I can avoid doing it?"  
Jack slowly shook his head. "Then you shouldn't complain." He said in a disapproval tone before going back to eating.

Ruggie snorted. He had all the rights to complain. Professor Trein hadn't even given him time to go back to the Savanaclaw dormitory before asking him for favours.  _Could you bring these documents to Professor_ _Crewel_ _?_ Ruggie had obviously nodded with his biggest smile. Easy task, right? It would have been, if only Professor  Crewel hadn't been busy rearranging the shelves for the following  day's alchemy classes. For this reason, he had asked Ruggie to bring them to Headmaster Crowley, who, however, obviously hadn't yet returned to school.

Ruggie ended up having to return to Professor Trein with those stupid documents still under his arm, only to be thanked and told that he would personally hand them over to the Headmaster.

"Ruggie..."

Ruggie followed Jack's gaze. Professor Trein was walking towards them with a worried expression, and for a moment Ruggie really thought about running away.

¯¯¯¯¯¯

Ruggie dropped onto Leona's bed and took a deep, long breath, enjoying that well-deserved moment of tranquillity. He had finally unpacked his bags, cleaned his and Leona's room and, more importantly, he had managed to escape Professor Trein.

He didn't want to hear the words  _Talk_ and  _Cat_ in the same sentence ever again. He couldn't believe he had wasted two hours of his last day of vacation trying to convince Lucius to reach an agreement with his owner. That cat was far more intelligent than most of Night Raven College's students.

Ruggie laid on his stomach, eyeing the perfectly tidy room. He knew it wouldn't take long to undo all his efforts, but at least that evening Leona wouldn't have complained about the mess.

Someone knocked on the open door to get his attention and Ruggie looked over his shoulder. His dorm-mate frowned, then sighed, "Sorry to bother you, but two of our guys picked a fight with some Diasomnia students..."

Ruggie decided that leaving his homeland that morning hadn't been the smartest decision.

¯¯¯¯¯¯

Glad that the curtains were mitigating the light coming from the lounge torches, Ruggie fluffed the couch pillow and closed his eyes when he turned onto his side. His dorm-mates' voices were just a fleeting noise in the background. He was too tired to really pay any attention to them, and too sleepy to be a part of the celebrations. He would have certainly joined them on any other occasion, it was their last night of freedom after all, but he seriously didn't have the slightest bit of energy left in his body. He hadn't even eaten his dinner. He had collapsed on the couch as soon as he'd had the chance, warning everyone that he didn't want to be disturbed.

The sound of the waterfall lulled his drowsiness, and yet the smell of freshly grilled meat kept his stomach awake, but he didn't complain. He would have gone to his own room if he'd wanted to sleep. He just wanted to get some rest, recharge his energy. Not even playing with the children in his neighbourhood had tired him out like that.

Ruggie yawned and squeezed the pillow, making himself more comfortable, but when the laughter and chattering of his friends became more animated, his ears started wiggling. The rustle of the curtains anticipated the only voice capable of giving him the strength to turn around.

"What are you doing here?" Leona frowned.  
The sudden light that flashed right into Ruggie's eyes forced him to squint. "I'm tired."  
"Then go sleep in your room, don't stay here."  
"Shut up..." Ruggie muttered, his voice smothered by the pillow as he sank his face into it. “I had the worst day ever, the teachers worked me to the bone. I deserve some rest."

For a moment Ruggie believed Leona had left him alone, but then fingertips brushed slightly along his neck. Leona didn't say a word. He stood there, watching Ruggie, grinning every time he raked his fingers through the other's hair and Ruggie waggled his ears in response.

The couch sank under Leona's weight when he rested a hand on it and leaned over Ruggie to whisper into his ear.

"Not even a welcome back?"

Ruggie's lips twitched upward and he slowly turned towards Leona. They were so close that whispering was enough to hear each other.

"Welcome  _home_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaand done ♥ I really hope you enjoyed it~  
> Thanks for all the kudos, love you! ;; ♥

**Author's Note:**

> beta: brazenmoon, as always, my saviour (My stories are not an abomination thanks to her) ♥


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